


Petunia's Duo Dilemma 2

by Nellis123, Nyx Nox (Nellis123)



Series: Duo Dilemma [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Dursley Family (Harry Potter), BAMF Minerva McGonagall, Gen, Harry Potter Needs a Hug, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall & Severus Snape Friendship, Oblivious Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape Has a Heart, Vernon Dursley Being an Asshole
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:48:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23728582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nellis123/pseuds/Nellis123, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nellis123/pseuds/Nyx%20Nox
Summary: The sequel to Petunia's Duo Dilemma. Severus Snape takes the Potter siblings in and is annoyed to discover Petunia and Dudley need to be welcomed into his home. A trial ensues and the Hogwarts Staff try to make a wrong situation right. Please note that chapters will be rather sporadically posted. The first five were already posted on FFN and are being rewritten/adapted to here.
Series: Duo Dilemma [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1709116
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	1. The Professor Interferes

Iris and Harry prepared for the worst, accepting that they likely would not survive tonight's beating. Vernon was ready to release his fury and there would be no stopping him. The two were shaking, whimpering, and tensing up for the first blow. Tears leaked from Iris' eyes and Harry held her close to him.

They were unaware of anything besides preparing for the onslaught of pain. If they tried hard enough they could mentally block out everything from pain to their surroundings. It must have worked since the pain of the first blow never came.

"Or what?" Vernon broke the silence of the room. Harry opened his eyes a fraction and blanched. He nudged Iris and she opened her eyes and gasped.

"Lower the belt, Dursley," Professor Snape growled. His wand was pointed at the man. He felt angrier than expected before leaving Hogwarts.

The Potters looked horrible and didn't deserve the treatment they were about to receive. He expected them to be pampered or something close to that but no, their uncle was ready to beat the life out of them with no remorse whatsoever.

Vernon growled and whipped the belt down. Iris and Harry yelped and ducked down, arms raised above their heads.

" _IMMOBULUS,_ " Severus shouted. The spell burst from his wand and Vernon was frozen in place. The belt dangled limply from his raised fist.

Iris burst into tears and curled into herself. Harry remained frozen, trying not to cry. Severus took a steadying breath and looked at the twins. He was ready to cry as well but the current situation needed to get handled.

Petunia entered the room, having been upstairs until the whimpering stopped, and stared at Severus. She stumbled backwards and held onto the doorway for support. Dudley was hidden in his bedroom. The aunt could not summon words.

"Petunia," Severus narrowed his eyes at her. The woman began to cry. He groaned. Three people crying. He wasn't prepared for the adult's tears on top of the twins'.

"I-" He shook his head and gritted his teeth. "I'll deal with you later." He then turned to face Iris and Harry. The man shrunk down to the twins' level and reached out to touch Harry. A frown creased across his features when Harry flinched back.

Severus stepped back and raised his wand. Iris and Harry stared up at him. Two pairs of Lily's eyes looking up at him with unreadable expressions. He needed to help them.

"Expecto patronum," Severus whispered. White light burst from the tip of his wand. It came out in the shape of a doe. He took a deep breath after and stuck the wand up his sleeve, glancing around the room.

The doe would arrive in Minerva McGonagall's office and reveal the events that spurred from what appeared to be the use of accidental magic. Poppy or Minerva would arrive to help get the children to safety.

All that was left was to wait and try to calm the members of the house.

"Where is their stuff?" Severus turned to face Petunia. The woman shrunk back against the wall and pointed at the cupboard across from her.

"They have a room upstairs- the one with the locks on it. Some personal things are hidden under a loose floorboard," She whispered. The floorboard was discovered upon cleaning the room while the twins were taking care of outside chores one day. She was surprised to find their photo album.

"Their wands?" Severus was already headed toward the cupboard. Rage threatened to take over when he put the light on.

There was a dingy cot on the ground, obviously old blood splattered along the wall, and drawings that could only have been drawn by Harry and Iris hanging along the back wall. The twins' trunks were on top of the cot, apparently untouched since the two left school. There was no sign of any of the letters he sent to Iris.

"What the hell happened here?" He barked after moving the trunks into the hallway. Severus was disgusted by what he saw, silently hoping that the small space hadn't been a place the Potters frequented while in the Dursley's care.

"Vernon…" Petunia whimpered. She couldn't bring herself to saying anything else. It would come out eventually but her nerves had her bordering on a panic attack, frozen in place.

She was no use. Severus sighed exasperatedly. He would have to get her to open up. Now was not the time though. His temper couldn't be trusted and the whimpering Potters had become his priority.

The wizard cast a protective shield over Iris and Harry. The two were in shock and silent as ever. He then went upstairs and was surprised to find the Dursley's son cowering in the corner of the hallway.

The amount of family members who were cowering in fear surprised him. Was it all Vernon's doing or did the son and wife have something to do with it too? The twins spent eleven years with the family. The signs of abuse on the children, Dudley's mental state and bodily size included, were clear but who was to blame?

Severus brushed past the boy and approached the only door with outer locks on it. Five locks. _That was rather excessive._ Severus forced the thought aside and entered. The light didn't turn on when he moved the switch. A simple lumos spell would reveal that there were no light bulbs in the room.

He hated the Dursleys with a passion now that he was finding more signs of maltreatment. The neighbors should have noticed that the two children were miserably neglected and abused. He wondered if they ever noticed or if someone tried to notify the Ministry. Albus insisted the children were treated like royalty at home. Perhaps there was even more to the story than just blood relatives tormenting Lily's children.


	2. The Lion's Arrival and Leaving

A quick glance around the room revealed that the twins had no worldly belongings. There were bars on the window and one bed in the room that the children apparently shared. Nothing stood out to say it was a space of their own and the majority of the clothes that were scattered on the floor seemed to big for them. Hedwig was the only thing that made it clear the two lived in the room. The movement of the only visibly loose floorboard brought about the discovery of the twins' photo album, a few drawings, and the invisibility cloak as well as Iris' bracelets.

"Fantastic," Severus muttered under his breath. He grabbed hold of everything that looked as though it belonged to the twins and shrunk them down to fit into his cloak pocket. He would resize them once the twins were brought back to his home.

A shriek echoed from downstairs and he closed his eyes. It had to belong to Petunia there was no way Iris or Harry could hit such a high pitched tone. He left the room and almost bumped into the Dursley's whale of a son.

Dudley froze then backed against the wall of the hallway and whimpered. Snape ignored him and went down the stairs two at a time. He breathed out a sigh of relief upon spotting Minerva. Dudley silently followed after him. His blonde head could be seen peering over the stairwell. Petunia stood off to the side of the hallway, stunned to have two adult wizards in her home.

"Minerva," Severus exhaled. He was relieved to see her but his emotions toward everything that happened left him barely able to get any words out.

"Severus," McGonagall gave him a curt nod. "I see you have things under control. I suggest we move the family at once and allow the aurors we trust to assess the scene. Leave the uncle behind and get everyone else to safety."

"They aren't coming," Severus set his jaw, head tilting in Petunia's direction. "I don't trust either of them. They don't appear to be as bad as the uncle but I can't - I don't want them in my home."

"We can't keep them at Hogwarts, Severus," Minerva frowned. "Albus will definitely know it was us." Taking the Potters from their home was a plan Minerva, Severus, and Poppy came up with. Albus was kept out of the loop for the reason that any decisions the headmaster made would likely place the Potters in more danger. Running into family members was not part of the plan. The use of accidental magic was a red flag that practically screamed danger. They needed to act as soon as they could.

Severus opened his mouth to speak but Minerva held up a hand to silence him. She still had more to say and was only going to continue if Severus gave her his full attention.

"I know you don't want to but it's the only hope we have. Maybe they will actually treat the children better now that Vernon isn't involved." She sighed and glanced at Vernon. Petunia and Dudley were lurking awkwardly near the entrance of the kitchen. "And if not, then we'll figure out a better alternative. We don't have time to for figuring that out right now."

"Or," Severus glared at Petunia and spoke through gritted teeth. "We stick the lot of them in Azkaban for a few days. Give them a taste of their own medicine."

Petunia's face paled. That was the wizard prison she once heard the man and her sister talk about back when they were children. Her shoulders shook while she tried to find something to say, knowing she couldn't risk putting Dudley in danger. She wouldn't admit she was in the wrong but somehow reassuring them she wouldn't be a threat felt like a place to start.

"We will behave," She blurted out. Severus and Minerva stared at her, having forgotten that the family was even there to begin with. "I swear. Just don't put Dudley into harm's way."

"Mrs. Dursley, you are lucky we are legally not allowed to put you and your family through the hell Harry and Iris appear to have suffered while living here," Minerva growled. "If I could, I would ensure you had to endure the treatment Lily and James' children received from you and your husband."

Petunia made a noise similar to a dog that had its tail tread on and backed against the wall once more.

"He made me do it," She cried out and began sobbing. "He threatened to kill me and the twins if I didn't treat them like they were worthless."

Severus grimaced and took a deep breath. He needed to remain level headed and calm for the poor children in the other room. No exploding, no yelling. If anything like that happened Harry and Iris would lose the little trust they had in him. He couldn't risk it.

"We'll talk one on one once we get everyone situated," He said. "Take Dudley and pack a bag of your stuff- necessities only. Minerva will escort you to my house." Minerva gave him a small nod.

"Hurry up then," The Gryffindor murmured. "The headmaster will start asking questions if I'm not at Hogwarts in time for our meeting." There was no meeting she just needed the Dursleys to understand the importance of rushing.

Petunia and Dudley disappeared to the second level of the house, leaving Minerva and Severus to tend to the twins. Minerva waved her wand and lowered the shield charm that surrounded the twins once she was certain Vernon wasn't going anywhere.

"You poor dears," She grimaced upon spotting the still shaking Potters. "I'm so sorry. I should have intervened earlier."

Her words fell on deaf ears; the twins were sobbing. She gazed at Harry and put on the tone she used for dealing with first years heading to the infirmary.

"Mr. and Miss Potter," She kept her voice low and friendly. "Your uncle can no longer hurt you." The twins looked like a pair of deer staring into headlights. "We're taking you to safety."

"I'm taking you home," Severus said. He had a pained expression. They were Lily's kids. There was a time where he imagined being her husband, having outgrown it once he realized his interest in her wasn't mutual. Now everything felt absolutely wrong. "If you eventually agree, I will work to ensure I get custody of you. You won't have to live with your uncle ever again."

The twins exchanged confused looks. They were having a conversation based solely off their facial expressions. The didn't know what to believe so taking each other's hands was the only option they had, unable to look at either professor.

"We have to move fast though. Aurors will be coming and the Headmaster will likely be involved. He can't know we have you," He continued. "Minerva is there any way to stall him?"

"I will figure something out if the two agree to accompany you home," She answered. Petunia and Dudley were given no choice on the decision.

Harry gave Iris a single jerky nod. Then the two stepped forward and squeezed their hands, gazing expectantly up at Severus.

"You'll have to take them to Mrs. Figg's to disapparate. It's just outside the safety ward," Minerva said. She stepped forward and pressed a kiss to Harry and Iris' foreheads. The two shrunk back from her and she bit back a wince. They were so broken yet so trusting. She failed the twins and she failed their parents.

"I'll meet you back at Spinner's end with their … the other two," She could not call Petunia and Dudley their family. Severus nodded and looked to the Potters.

"Shall we?" He asked. Harry glanced at Iris. _I trust him._ She thought and tried to display the words with her eyes. Her fingers tightened around Harry's and she squeezed, grasping Severus' hand with her free one.

Severus was surprised, to say the least. He looked to Minerva and she gave him an encouraging nod. One deep breath and he was able to find the strength to link fingers with Iris' and step forward, knowing they had limited time to get to Mrs. Figg's house before the authorities swooped in.


	3. Almost Home

Iris' form shuddered the moment they left the house. Severus would not have been surprised if either of the children passed out. They must have been exhausted or at least emotionally drained from the events of the evening. On their birthday too. He had to bite down hard on his lower lip to keep from saying or doing anything rash.

The professor led the children down the road, allowing them to take their time walking. It would have been so much easier to Floo from the home but the Ministry kept track of that. He and Minerva worked things out so a portkey would be used. It was just a matter of getting the Potters safely to the woman's home.

Harry and Iris stuck close to each other. The grip around Severus' hand slackened so the twins were only connected. Harry was far quieter than usual. The twins were too quiet for someone who spawned from James but Severus shoved the thought aside when the pair came to a sudden stop. He hadn't even noticed that they arrived at the house. All it would take was a knock on the door, but even then Severus was incredibly concerned.

Arabella watched the twins grow up and reported the mistreatment of them to Albus from time to time. The man never listened. Albus was of little concern at the time but that knowledge made him fear that Arabella would spook the children even further by yelling or saying something out of turn. The door opened before he raised his hand to knock.

"Severus," The old woman crooned. "Harry and Iris, what a surprise." News of their approaching arrival was announced by the appearance of a patronus and rushed instructions from Minerva. Arabella was ready with a bag of necessities packed for each child, complete with everything from extra socks to sweets, and the warning to not say anything too worrying.

"The kitchen is clear," She added with a frown. "I don't know how long you have until..." Severus cut her off with a wave of his arm. He didn't want the twins to be stressed.

"Thank you, Arabella," He said, stony-faced and voice devoid of emotion. They had minutes left before the portkey would be useless. Rushing was going to become necessary. "Into the kitchen," He announced and tried to sound a little more cheerful. He would have to work on the emotions and caring for the twins once they were home and used to each other. Severus hadn't truly cared about anyone since Lily. Now his heart was aching to mend the pain the twins went through.

"We're ... I'll explain it once we get home." **_We._** The word was so new to use in regards to himself and another person. "I need you to grab hold of this." His gaze moved from the children to his cloak pocket, then to Arabella. He pulled a ceramic plate from his pocket and looked Harry in the eye. "You two _have_ to hold onto this," He couldn't stress the importance of what was happening. "It's going to feel like ..." How to put it into child terms. It was challenging but he eventually had to fight back a grin. "Like you have to sneeze but you can't. It's going to be uncomfortable but it's the only way we can travel without someone trying to get you into trouble." Harry and Iris timidly nodded in understanding and reached an arm forward, the looks of confusion highly recognizable on their features.

"It will take us home," That was all Severus could say before urging the twins to grasp it. The plate felt warm to the touch and he knew there was mere seconds left before they disappeared. "Arabella I'll update you," The sentence was rushed out and then the ever familiar tug at the navel took over.

The world flashed before Iris and Harry's eyes. The two felt terrible and everything seemed to be spinning. It was too fast and too new of a feeling for them to enjoy the experience. Severus' words hardly registered. All they remembered was him offering them a plate. In the moment of hungriness, Harry reached his arm forward in the hope that food would appear on it. Instead they were gone, spiraling to wherever 'home' was.

It felt like hours passed by, although it was really a few seconds, before their feet were touching the ground again. Harry and Iris whimpered, jostled by the arrival and suddenly unstable. The view was slowly coming into focus and left Harry gasping in surprise. They were inside a house - in the dining room to be exact. He knew magic could do tons of wonderful things but transporting from one house to another seemed like something beyond his imagination. Protectively, he slipped an arm around Iris and narrowed his eyes at the professor. It was going to be a cruel trick if the man decided they needed to return to Uncle Vernon.

Harry opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Instead, his body shook and tears began to stream from his eyes. Iris was stick still beside him, her own features faltering to match the appearance Harry's had taken. The fears from the night caught up to the Potters and there was no stopping them now that their walls came down.

Severus shifted awkwardly, eyeing the two. He didn't do tears and he was never the type for providing comfort. Having been neglected of it at a young age sort of made it a challenge for him. He hated seeing two children so broken and knew he needed to take action.

"I'm sorry," He breathed out in a sigh. His tone was soft and cautious. The aunt and whale of a cousin were not in the house yet. He would have known by now. Severus got down to their level before speaking, knelt in between the two children. "That was a portkey. It's used to travel quickly from one spot to another. I should have said more but it's more important that I get you somewhere safe. This is my house," He gestured to the clean room around him. The twins didn't even seem to be listening. That would have bothered him had he not accepted that they were too far lost for him to do anything about it. "I think it's best you two go to bed." He let the words linger in the air, waiting for one of them to protest. The twins simply sniffled and the redhead managed a nod.

The poor things were so tired looking. Instead of leading them to the rooms he set up he transfigured two chairs into mattresses and set them up, transfiguring a few other objects around the room into pillows and blankets. Iris and Harry were making their way closer and closer toward the back of the room. Severus made no comments and instead riffled around through one of the cupboards. He pulled out the potion he set up before leaving, dreamless sleep and something to ensure they had a painless night, and poured it into two glasses.

"Come here," He beckoned to the twins and they rushed forward. The fear was visible in their eyes but Severus continued. He spoke as though he was instructing a class. His voice was strict yet caring and just loud enough to get the twins to look up and listen. "Drink this, then get to bed." His words were met by two pairs of _her_ eyes staring at him. Harry crossed his arms over his chest and Iris didn't budge. Deep down he knew the twins still didn't trust him even after being taken away from the hell they called home.

"Okay," Severus sighed and raised a glass to his lips, taking a gulp of the liquid. He swallowed and looked down at the Potters. "It's safe." The two eyed him again then looked to each other, shrugging before taking the drinks and gulping them down. "Goodnight," Severus sighed and waited until they were settled in the makeshift beds before grabbing the antidote. He didn't have enough to knock him out but his eyes were already feeling like they were drooping. The antidote was gulped down and his emotions resumed the adrenaline filled un-sureness from earlier. He had a feeling he was in for a long night and was not looking forward to Petunia and her son's arrival.

There was too much to do. Severus moved around in the next room over, checking on the Potters every chance he got, until he had all the supplies he needed. Madam Pomfrey was due over any time now and she was bringing over a team of healers to make sure the twins were stable enough to survive the weekend. She gave the okay to get the twins to sleep and the two felt terrible for using a potion to make sure they slept. It was the only way to get anything done without causing a commotion.

A thud from downstairs startled Severus and a horrible wailing sound made announced the arrival of Minerva and the Dursleys. Why they had to be taken to his home of all places was beyond him. The son was a good for nothing brat and the mother was horrible. Had she not seemed so upset over everything he would have left her in the house to meet the fate of her husband. Minerva insisted though and Severus knew better than to argue with the lioness. Severus abandoned his work and rushed downstairs, a scowl promptly taking over when he set eyes on the boy.

"You stop that this instant," He ordered and the boy obliged, his mouth snapping shut. Petunia opened her mouth to argue and Severus shook his head. "The Potters are asleep upstairs. I will not be happy if your unnecessary noise wakes them up."

Dudley growled and went to speak but Minerva set a hand on his shoulder, her own stern look getting him to remain quiet.

"There's a room set up down the hall you two can go there and settle in. I'll deal with you later," Severus grumbled. "Don't ruin anything." He added as an afterthought. "And don't bother me."

Minerva almost wanted to apologize for her coworker's rudeness but there was no point in doing so. She was enraged at the treatment of the children and caring enough to make sure the others involved were brought to safety. Dudley was going to need just as much help as his cousins. She could tell just from looking at him. The sleeping angels upstairs were the main concern though.

"Have you heard from Poppy?" She asked, her gaze lingering on the retreating forms of the Dursleys as they disappeared into the only room in the hallway. They would find a setup rather similar to what the Potters had, a coincidence, and would deal with it until things were less hectic.

"No," Severus sighed. "I don't know when to expect her but I've got the potions she asked for." Part of him didn't want Poppy and her team to come. "I'm afraid, Minerva."

"I know," The woman answered with a frown. "But it's a good thing. Imagine if we arrived a few minutes later..."

Severus shivered at the thought. Finding the uncle with a belt in hand was one thing, but he couldn't possibly have left the place in the condition he did if he came across the bloodied bodies of the twins.


	4. Making Good

Severus paced back and forth the length of the hallway that led from the kitchen to the room the Potters were being cared for in. Poppy gave strict orders to not interfere or ask questions and shooed him from the room. Minerva went about getting tea going on the kettle and kept quiet, occasionally casting a reassuring gaze in Severus' direction. There was a lot of work to be done and the Potters would need an extensive amount of time to recover. It was tough to keep a strong front for every healer involved. The twins were battered worse than anyone could have imagined and the initial spell to get a list of any injuries sustained didn't want to stop growing.

Improperly healed bones, vitamin deficiencies, concussions, staunched growth, broken teeth, burn marks, and countless scars and bruises in various stages of healing were the things that stood out on the list. Poppy couldn't bring herself to doing a prolonged scan of injuries but she knew it needed to be done so she called on a fellow healer for assistance and went about checking the twins' vital signs.

Both were dehydrated and starved looking. It looked as though their last meal hadn't been in weeks. The healers would quickly discover that years of abuse and neglect tormented the twins. The reason behind it unknown, but they had a culprit held at a trusted Auror's house and a culprit in the very house.

Poppy was livid, to say the least. Her head was reeling. Years of healing and caring for students at Hogwarts did not prepare her for one of the worst cases of abuse she would come across. The Potter's children didn't deserve any of it.

"We're going to have to force them under," One of the healer's voices drifted into her thoughts. Poppy flinched, her eyes wide with alarm, and stared at him.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to that," Poppy grimaced. She wanted to cry. Seeing injuries were a part of her job. Seeing the broken bodies of her friends' children was something she wasn't prepared for. She didn't understand how the twins could have kept quiet about what was done to them.

"I fear they won't heal properly if we don't. Most cases like these involve the child refusing treatment," The healer continued. His lips were pressed together to the point of creating a thin line. No one working the case was pleased. They each took an oath to not talk about anything that happened outside of the home.

Madam Pomfrey nodded in reply, knowing the man was right. They worked in silence after that. Harry and Iris were forced into a deep sleep. A charm was cast to make sure the healers were alerted if either of their heart rates went above or below normal. After that, the staff got to work on mending the minor injuries to the twins.

Poppy excused herself once the children were in a stable condition. The makeshift infirmary beds would have to do for now. Hours had passed since she last spoke to Minerva and Severus. She pulled the curtain that blocked the room from view and unsteadily made her way into the kitchen.

"Do you want tea?" Minerva's voice was the first to meet her ears. She was greeted by two tired and stressed looking professors. The woman offered the mug to Poppy. "Relax," She ordered. Poppy looked like she'd been through hell. It wasn't a good sign but she wasn't willing to ask about it.

Severus opened his mouth speak but the words were stuck in the back of his throat. The three sat in silence until Poppy was ready to brief them on everything that was discovered.

"We've forced them into a coma," She began. Minerva brought a hand to her mouth to cover the gasp that threatened to escape. Severus looked like he was ready to throw up. "They're stable. That's the important thing."

"Yes, but—" Severus was interrupted by the wave of Poppy's arm. He promptly shut his mouth and began tapping his foot on the ground, using the action as an outlet for his anxiety.

"There is a lot more damage than you can outwardly see," She didn't know how she could announce this without her voice wavering. It wasn't supposed to happen. "I was able to heal Iris' arm but... She and her brother have bones that didn't heal right and need to be reset. Bruises and scars in various stages of healing. The uncle did a number on them. I'm not sure how long they'll be kept under but we need to make sure those bones at least heal without their disturbing it. We couldn't find any information about their last doctor's visit and I'm doubting they have the proper muggle vaccinations."

She paused to let the adults take in her words. Their worried expressions mimicked her appearance. Poppy used her moment of silence to take a sip of the tea Minerva offered her. She took a steadying deep breath before continuing.

"Paul's running all the immunity tests. We'll have to wait for him to check them at Saint Mungo's so the answer won't be available until tomorrow," Her voice broke at that. Poppy felt the strength that kept her from breaking down begin to fade. Her eyes widened at the realization so she took a breath and forced out the last couple of words. "It's a miracle they're still alive."

Her emotions got the upper hand after that, leaving her sniffling and wiping her eyes to prevent tears from falling. Minerva placed her hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed.

Severus opened and shut his mouth, not knowing what to say. He felt as though someone hit him with an unforgivable curse.

"We need to do something about the relatives," He stated in a defeated tone. The women in the room turned to look at him, confusion briefly dancing across their features. "I don't want them here."

Minerva stared at him for a moment. He was clearly angry but the thought of sending the aunt and her son back to the place didn't seem plausible. Vernon was no longer in the picture and Petunia, regardless of what she claimed, would be needed for the hearing. The boy though. That was the one problem she had.

"We can send the aunt to the Leaky Cauldron," She suggested in a whisper. "Private room and an order member to guard her until the Wizengamot decides her and her husband's fate."

"I don't want the boy," Severus stated. "The twins have been put through enough hell by their family members. I took him and Petunia in a moment of desperation. I don't care what they did; they didn't need to see the bastard get carted off." Deep down he thought it would have served them right but the two seemed to have just as much trauma as the twins showed while at school.

"He's going to need somewhere to stay for the time being," Minerva sighed. "Poppy, could we see them?" She asked, feeling the need to take the conversation back to the most important members of the family. In her mind, it was more important that the twins healed but the boy didn't deserve to go back to his parents. They abused their cousins and let him get to a dangerously heavy weight. That alone had to count as neglect of some sort.

"They're going to be sleeping for a while," Poppy answered with a grim look. The looks of concern on Minerva and Severus' faces had her rethinking her answer. "Briefly, but I have to be with you. As I said, we're still working on healing them I only came out because I didn't want to leave you worrying. I have to warn you though, they don't look well."

Severus put his mug down, the contents spilling out on the table from the force of his actions. He was met with a not-so-stern look from Minerva.

"Severus you don't have to if—" Minerva stopped talking. Severus was shaking his head and already on his feet.

"I need to, Minerva," He answered. "Poppy, lead the way please." The healer nodded and brought her friends into the living room. Gasps were heard from both adults upon seeing the unclothed forms of the twins. The damage was unimaginable. Most of the bruises were less noticeable after a serum had been put on but there still several gashes that stood out.

Minerva lasted two minutes in the room before needing to leave. Severus, on the other hand, stayed just long enough to press a kiss to each child's forehead and wish them well before departing.

Poppy lingered in the doorway, eyeing Severus and Minerva with a look of concern. The sick feeling in her stomach didn't seem to want to leave.

"We can't let Albus find out about this," She said. "I assume you've already taken the precautions in making a safe house?"

Severus nodded in reply. He couldn't find any other words. The rest of his night would be spent at the kitchen table with Minerva, the two anxiously waiting for any other news from the staff of healers in the room next door.

"I'm hungry," The whining was the first thing to permeate the otherwise silent house. Severus woke with a start, his knee hitting the table when he jerked awake. Minerva was nowhere to be found. Last time he checked, the woman was sat beside him. He felt incredibly disoriented, yet surprisingly rested, for someone who accidentally fell asleep at the kitchen table. The only problem was that he didn't recall falling asleep.

Severus groaned, his hand running through the loose curls on top of his head. He glanced around for a moment. Confusion etched across his features when he spotted the source of the complaining. The cousin was upstairs, his mother a few paces behind him.

"I'm hungry," Dudley repeated. Severus wrinkled his nose. Food, of course, was the one thing he didn't think about. He barely spent time in the house while away from the school, seeing as the memories weren't all that great, so the fridge was rarely stocked.

"It's nice to meet you hungry," Severus said in a deadpan tone. "My name is Severus." The boy opened and closed his mouth, unsure what to say. Severus smirked. "You're going to have to wait until Minerva is back."

"Can I have something to drink then?" The boy inquired. Severus expected an argument, kicking, or screaming. He was pleasantly surprised.

"You can have water from the sink," He grumbled and got up to get a mug. His words were followed by Petunia's making a squeaking noise. "Yes?" He asked and raised an eyebrow, offering the mug to Dudley.

"Nothing," Petunia shrugged and gulped back whatever harsh words she planned on saying.

"Mummy doesn't let me drink from the tap," Dudley answered with a shrug. "She says the brats are the only ones allowed to drink from it." Petunia looked as though she swallowed an egg. Severus looked slightly taken aback but he chose against making a scene.

"Yes, well things are different here," He said somewhat calmly. The glance in Petunia's direction was anything but kind. "Go on, get the water. Minerva will be back soon."

Dudley nodded, going to the sink to fill his glass. Petunia winced when her son drank from the mug. Severus paid little attention to the Dursleys. He turned his back on them, walking toward the living room.

The partition was still up - not that he expected things to be any different - and he could hear healers chattering. He didn't want to intrude but did need to check if more potions were needed. Severus' timing was almost perfect since he nearly collided with Poppy on his way in.

"How are they doing?" The words came out even though he'd meant to apologize. He gave her a sheepish expression.

"Okay," Poppy sighed, her head tilting slightly when she spotted Petunia behind him. "They made it through the night and are still sleeping. We need to talk about potion supplements when you're not busy."

"I'll be running out later to get ingredients," Severus nodded in reply. He was surprisingly calm. "Minerva left. I'm not leaving the house until someone is here to make sure those two don't lay a finger on the twins." There were spells to do that but he didn't trust them, for fear that they might falter.

Poppy glanced over at Petunia. She didn't know how she felt about the woman. Seeing her out of her element made her look as though she wouldn't hurt a fly.

"I have to get back to school," Poppy grimaced. "Before my absence is noticed." Severus groaned. "There are healers on round the clock who have decided to use their off days to stay by the two and keep an eye on everything. If there's a problem they will let you know."

Three days would pass before either of the Potters were well enough to open their eyes. Severus would find that the cousin, despite his occasional temper tantrums, was somewhat tolerable. Minerva took it upon herself to get food, deemed healthy by her and Petunia for the house. The options were simple enough for the Dursleys to fend for themselves, while also leaving room for Severus to make sure he ate.

Severus spent the days fretting about the twins' well-being and making most of the potions Poppy suggested. Things were quiet for the most part. Petunia and Dudley kept to their room while Severus kept to the rest of the house. Things would stay that way until the Potters were well enough to join them.


	5. Accidents Hurt

"Iris?" Harry awoke with a start, panic taking over the moment he realized he was not in the bed he and Iris shared at home. Opening his eyes made matters even worse, as he quickly discovered that his glasses were nowhere to be found. The last thing he could remember was Vernon rearing back to give him and Iris the beating he had been promising since the day he found them on his doorstep.

His breathing was unsteady, hands groping around for his glasses. They were not under his pillow as usual. He went to sit up and discovered that something was preventing him from doing so. No wires were attached to him but there was some sort of invisible force keeping him from getting out of bed. He took a steadying breath then frowned.

"Iris?" He tried again, screaming her name out the moment there was no answer. Harry struggled against the spell that held him in place, feeling tears threaten to pool from his eyes. No answer from his sister and lack of glasses left him panicking. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears, the panic growing the moment a light turned on in the room.

He squeezed his eyes shut then relaxed against the cot he was on. His body shook despite his attempt at trying to feel brave.

"Harry?" The woman's voice was familiar but Harry didn't dare answer or open his eyes to see who was speaking. The unsteadiness of his breathing revealed he was awake. Of course, Poppy was well aware of that since the spells that were in place were set to alert them the moment one of the twins gained consciousness.

She took a steadying breath then approached the table beside Harry's bed, chewing her lower lip as she dusted off his glasses.

"Harry," Poppy's voice came out in an airy sigh. "I know you are awake." Her words earned a sideways glance from him. He straightened out and blinked several times. "Here." She added and placed his glasses on his face.

The action caused Harry to flinch back and wince when he was able to clearly see Madam Pomfrey. His whole body ached. He was stiff, unable to fully bring himself to moving each limb. The most terrifying thing about it all was not knowing where he was and still not knowing where his sister was.

"Wa- Where's my sister?" He glared at Madam Pomfrey. It was hard to trust her when he couldn't see his sister and had no recollection of anything past Uncle Vernon being ready to beat the hell out of him and Iris.

"She's here," Poppy murmured. "Look to your left." It pained her to watch the boy turn toward his sister. The low gasp that escaped along with the rapid increase in breaths he was taking nearly left her crying.

"Is she okay?" Harry whimpered. He hadn't wanted to talk but his sister's wellbeing was always more important than his own. She seemed so frail looking. He would have pitched a fit if it weren't for the fact that she looked so peaceful.

"She's stable," Poppy nodded. "We had to place you and Iris in a coma to take care of a few injuries." That was a light way of putting things. She could have expanded but it was not worth stressing Harry any more than he already was. "She should be up this evening."

A sharp intake of breath was all Harry gave as an answer. He wrapped his arms around himself and curled into the fetal position.

"May I ask what your name is?" Madam Pomfrey quirked a brow at him.

"H-Harry James P-Potter," He whispered.

"And your age and home address?" She nodded, checking to see if the concussion had healed while he was under.

"Tw-twelve and I-" He trailed off. Harry desperately wanted to say Hogwarts was his home but he couldn't bring himself to admitting it. That would mean opening the can of worms about the abuse faced while with the Dursleys. He couldn't tell them. Uncle Vernon would kill him if he mentioned it. "Where am I?"

"Your address, Mr. Potter," Poppy narrowed her eyes at him, nearly wincing when Harry shrunk into a smaller ball. His green eyes never left her. His calculating gaze took in every aspect of her, searching for some sort of sign that she was going to harm him.

"Four pr-privet drive," He mumbled. Harry fell silent after that and looked away from Madam Pomfrey. He debated questioning where he was again and ultimately decided it wasn't worth asking. Iris was safe and he was as well. That was all that mattered.

"If you'll excuse me," Poppy pressed her tongue against her cheek. "I have to fetch the healer so we can perform a few diagnostic spells." Harry didn't answer, merely looking nervous.

She ducked out after that and pulled a small smile when she entered Severus' kitchen. He and Minerva hadn't moved since she last spoke to them. The two had bags under their eyes, the stress about the children visible to everyone.

"Harry is awake," She murmured. A chuckle nearly escaped when the professors sat up straight.

"How is he?" It was Severus that spoke first. He stood from his seat, ready to go right into the sitting room to see him. Poppy stopped him though and held her hand up to his chest.

"You can't see him," She grimaced. "He is a little disoriented and seems downright terrified because I did not tell him where he is."

"And the girl?" Minerva looked worried.

"She is still resting. I expect her to be up by this evening," Poppy glanced back at the door.

"She was worse off than her brother. I am surprised they got her wrist bandaged up given the amount of damage done to her and Harry."

"Should he eat?" Severus asked in an attempt at changing the subject. He didn't want to think about the damage that was done.

"I am uncertain about whether or not he will be able to stomach anything" Poppy frowned.

"Perhaps a mix of the nutrients and calming potions we discussed?"

"Right," Severus nodded. "I have them at the ready." He moved to the cupboards, pulling out the vials that were labeled with Harry's name. Each twin needed a different level of each potion to make up for the deficiencies gained from their mistreatment.

"Thank you," Poppy murmured. "Minerva, I might require your assistance if it comes to having to force him into taking it."

"I would hope it doesn't," Minerva sighed. "They have been through -"

The rest of her thought was drowned out by the beeping sound that announced something was wrong with one of the Potters. All three professors burst into the living room, relieved to see that Iris was up.

The redhead was struggling against the spell that kept her restrained to the bed, panic clear across her face as she tried to stand up and was forced back against her sheets. Tears streamed down her face but she kept quiet.

A whimper was the only sound to escape. It was low but the effect of the sound was immediate. Harry sat up straight, a possessive look quickly spreading over his features.

"Let her go," He hissed out. The venom in his tone was enough to make Severus and Minerva take a step back.

"I can't do that," Poppy frowned. "You both need your rest."

"She needs me," Harry glowered. "She- She's used to my being at her side when things get bad I- What if Vernon comes back?"

The adults blanched. Minerva was the one to chance taking a step forward.

"Harry," Her voice was incredibly low. "Vernon won't be coming back. He -"

"He said he'd kill us if people found out," Harry whimpered, tears streaming down his face. Iris joined in. The emotions left Poppy giving a helpless look to Minerva.

"He can't get to you," She sighed. "Please trust me on that."

"I can't." Harry shook his head then leaned over, reaching his arm out so his sister could take his hand. "Please leave us alone."


	6. Statements and Healing

The Potters were restricted to the room they were being treated in. That alone left the two on edge. They didn't speak to any of the adults in the hope that their silence would get them to realize just how annoyed the two were at the lack of choices they were given. Severus tried his best to keep them company. He gave low apologies about the predicament when it was just him and the children. Anyone else in the room and the potion master was as quiet as they were.

His main goal was ensuring that his charges were comfortable. He provided books, coloring utensils, and a few other things to hopefully catch their interest. Severus also convinced Poppy to allow the twins to have their beds placed together. It took his muttering about their uncle having only provided one bed for them to get her to understand that doing so was necessary for easing their anxiety in a way that didn't involve leaving them in a vegetative state. Harry and Iris weren't talking much and spent the majority of the day sleeping and barely eating anything that got offered to them.

The twins remained connected - curled together while they slept and holding each other's hands when it came to drinking potions or sitting through diagnostic spells. The silence was unsurprising for Severus. He usually sat in a chair by their beds to make sure they had company of some sort.

Petunia and Dudley were kept away from them. A spell was put in place to prevent the two from entering where the Potters were. It was entertaining for Severus to see the two walking on eggshells in his home. He had made it clear that he was doing them a favor by keeping them away from the Ministry and not sending them to where Vernon was. Petunia couldn't bring herself to making snarky remarks and Dudley was far too terrified that Severus would do something worse than the pig's tail he had the year before. They couldn't remove the whole thing so moments of stress usually had Dudley wandering around with his hands over his bottom.

Making sure the twins survived the week was the adults' top priority. Once certain they were able to do so, their attention shifted to Petunia and Dudley. As much as they would have preferred ignoring them altogether, there was no denying that they had experienced some sort of trauma from the whole family's predicament.

Severus decided to remain with the children and the various healers that were in and out of the room while Poppy and Minerva went to face the Aunt and the cousin. The two women sat at the table, waiting for the morning arrival of the Dursleys looking for food.

"Petunia." Minerva nodded in greeting when the woman entered the kitchen. Petunia's eyes widened and she took a step back. If it weren't for knowing the damage the Potters went through, she would have felt sorry for her.

Names were a blur so Petunia didn't say anything, putting her arm up to stop Dudley from entering the room.

"Mum I—" His face paled when he spotted the two witches. Dudley stepped back behind his mother in an attempt to hide. "Never mind."

"Do come in," Minerva forced a smile. "There's tea at the ready and scones in the oven." Her voice sounded far too pleasant to her ears. "We need to talk." The last part left no room for arguing with her.

Dudley peered around his mother and Petunia released a shaky breath, holding her head up high when she entered the kitchen. The floor creaked from Dudley following behind her.

She couldn't remember Minerva's name but could easily recall the no-nonsense tone she used when it came to relocating her and Dudley. The other woman looked familiar but she couldn't figure out why.

"This is Madam Pomfrey," Minerva gestured toward her. "You owe her and her care team a thank you for having stabilized the Potters. I assure you their deaths would not have done you or your husband any favors."

Petunia gave a nod then grabbed a mug from the cupboard, jumping back when the woman spoke again.

"I am Minerva McGonagall." She continued. "Harry's head of house and transfiguration professor at Hogwarts."

"You are the woman that sent a letter about Harry's accident at the end of the year." Petunia gave her a once over then shakily poured herself a cup of tea.

"And you are the guardian that didn't bother with sending a reply back or writing either child at all during the school year." Minerva narrowed her eyes at her.

Petunia's face paled and she sputtered on the sip of tea she took. "That was Vernon's doing." The words came out in a whisper. "Dudley can vouch on that." Dudley whimpered when his name was brought up. He was back by the doorway that led back to where he and his mother were staying.

"Is that true?" Minerva narrowed her eyes at the boy. He bit back another whimper and nodded his head.

"Wouldn't let me talk to them once they were back." He mumbled, looking down at his feet. There was a beat of silence then his head snapped up, eyes wide when he looked at Minerva. "Are they okay? Dad said he was going to kill the b-b-Harry."

"We will not be giving that information out right now." Poppy shook her head. "We haven't seen enough to declare an official progress update and you two are the last to know on the list given the circumstances we took them out of."

Neither Dursley said anything in response. Minerva was surprised to see Petunia look ashamed at what was said.

"We plan to look into getting therapists for the children. Your son included," Minerva announced. "It will have to be someone certified through Saint Mungos given the severity of the case and our needing to keep a low profile until we figure out our next steps."

Things would move quickly once they were able to take statements from the Potters. The plan was sticking Vernon on trial and throwing Petunia into the mix if they found out she was more than just a bystander. It would take a little bit of time to see if the twins felt comfortable with going up against their guardians.

"There will be an auror dropping by to collect a statement from you and Dudley this afternoon," She added with a sigh. Her gaze was fixed on Petunia. "We will then work on finding alternative housing for you and your son. Is that understood?"

"Yes." Petunia nodded. She had several questions she wanted to ask but as the outsider in a house full of wizards none of them were worth asking. The one main relief to come out of the conversation was knowing barely feeding the twins for the summer and the other maltreatment from Vernon hadn't killed either of them.

"D-Do you have any other fairy tales?" Harry's voice broke the comfortable silence that had settled over the room when the healers left.

Iris was coloring absentmindedly on a piece of paper beside him. She was sticking to patterns of bright colors and wasn't comfortable with the idea of properly drawing like she would have back at school.

"Say that again," Severus looked up once he reached the bottom of the page he was reading. "I missed what you said."

Harry cleared his throat and winced. Regardless of how much he drank, it still hurt to talk. The healers hadn't said anything about it and he was left wondering if it was due to the expectation of his and Iris' summer being spent seen and not heard. He and Iris barely said anything to each other and Dudley was set on ignoring them so he didn't have anyone to talk to unless he wanted Vernon to snap at him.

"More fairytales?" Harry asked and pushed his glasses back up against the bridge of his nose. He offered the copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard to Severus. "They're different from the muggle ones."

"I'll have to ask Minerva. Professor McGonagall," Severus corrected himself. "She would be the one to get more of them."

Harry's interest in the one children's book he owned (the very copy his mother used to read to him when Tobias wasn't home) was a reminder that his home was not prepared for having children inhabit it. Summer was nearly over but they still had a few weeks before school started up again. That was also assuming the Potters were ready to return to school in September.

"Okay," Harry nodded. He set the book back down on the bed when Severus didn't take it from him. His teeth dug into his lower lip and he reached for the glass of water that was on the nightstand beside his bed.

"What happens once the healers are done with us?" Harry looked up at Severus after taking a sip of water. The potions master regretted taking his gaze off his book since he was met with two sets of worried green eyes looking right at him.

"I am working on figuring that out," He murmured. "You won't be going back to your aunt and uncle's — that much I'm certain of."

"For real?" Harry's eyes widened. He looked at his sister. Spotting the hopeful look in her eyes had him ready to get defensive if the professor ended up lying.

"I promise you that much," Severus looked Harry in the eyes then shifted to Iris. "Professor McGonagall and I will do everything we can to make sure you aren't put back in their care."

"Where will we go then?" Harry's expression faltered. Memories of Uncle Vernon threatening to drop them off at separate orphanages came flooding back.

"Another thing I have to sort out." Severus grimaced. His main hope revolved around the Ministry deciding the two would be safest with the school staff during the summer holidays. He and Minerva would be able to work something out. He couldn't shake the feeling that the community would want something more permanent for the two.

"There's also your cousin." A sigh escaped when Severus was met with identical looks of confusion. "I fear they won't let any of you go back to your uncle."

"Why not?" Harry tilted his head to the side. Iris squeezed his hand and shook her head. Their looks of confusion lingered until Harry continued. "He only ever did stuff to me and Iris. We deserved it most days."

Severus was grateful he could mask his emotions. If he wasn't able to, a mix of disgust and shock would have taken over the moment he processed what Harry said.

"You two did not deserve what your uncle did. That is the main reason Dudley won't be allowed back with him." He shook his head. Having had a similar mindset to the one Harry appeared to have left him knowing his words would have little effect on him.

"We ruin everything we touch." Harry shrugged. Iris nodded in agreement. The two looked rather dejected at admitting it but Severus deserved to know some of the truth.

Iris capped the markers she was drawing with and set them and the papers she made aside on the nightstand, curling up at Harry's side once she finished. She pressed her head against his shoulder and gave a soft sigh. Not talking and listening to what was going to happen to them was emotionally draining. It was enough to leave her ready for a nap but she couldn't let that happen if Harry was going to keep rasping at Professor Snape.

"Thank you by the way," Harry added when Severus didn't say anything. He could have gone as far as saying he and Iris would have been a lot worse off if he hadn't shown up and quickly decided against doing so. "When is the next round of potions?"

"Not for another couple of hours." Severus looked the twins over. "You should try to get some rest."

"Yes sir," Harry nodded. "Do you mind getting the light?"

"Not at all." The professor nodded. "I may not be here when you wake."

The house was silent once the Potters dozed off. Severus made sure the two were comfortable then left the living room for the first time in nearly twelve hours. His nose wrinkled when he spotted Petunia. She had a cup of tea in hand and narrowed her eyes at him when their gazes met.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Severus scowled. Petunia rolled her eyes.

"Nothing to do with you." She turned up her nose and took a long sip of tea. Severus' scowl grew. He had never particularly liked Petunia and certainly wouldn't have brought her to his home if it weren't for the fact that she and her son seemed almost as traumatized as the Potters.

"Then why are you up here?" He grimaced. Petunia scoffed and looked away from him.

"Something about — one of your kind needing to take a statement from me." She elaborated. Severus groaned upon hearing that. He had completely forgotten about it and the choice Minerva made happened to be someone that didn't trust him.

"My kind." Severus chuckled bitterly. "I do hope you are aware you and your son are considered the minority here. I would watch your tongue around the others. They may not be as tolerable of it as I am."

Petunia paled and didn't say anything else. She jumped when Minerva and a strange-looking man entered the kitchen, cautiously eyeing the stranger. The man had one eye and another that — she couldn't tell precisely what was wrong with it since she didn't want to look at him for too long. He had an intimidating stature and she wasn't about to risk getting on his bad side.

"Alastor." Severus narrowed his eyes at the intruder. The protective spells hadn't set anything off and Minerva was trusted enough to know she wouldn't bring someone shady in.

"Snape." Alastor trained his magical eye on Petunia, taking in the woman's anxious appearance. The more uneasy he made her the quicker getting information out of her would go.

"I presume you went over everything with him?" Severus turned toward Minerva. He earned a nod from her then pressed his tongue against his cheek.

They were risking everything by keeping Dumbledore out of the loop and taking a different approach to Ministry involvement since the children weren't ready for being swarmed by their staff. At the end of the day, ensuring students weren't left in abusive or deadly circumstances was more important than keeping a staff position.

"I have a room set up and at the ready," Severus murmured. "Petunia, follow me." It wasn't as though she had much of a choice on the matter as it was.

Petunia glowered at Severus then did as she was told, following him to a dimly lit room that had a desk and two chairs set up. The man with one eye was following after. There was something about his gait that left her staring a little too long at him.

"This is Alastor Moody," Severus announced once everyone was near each other. "He will be asking you a few questions to get a feel of things."

Alastor took the seat behind the desk and cracked his knuckles, waiting for Petunia to sit down before he spoke.

"Before we begin," He narrowed his eyes once she settled. Alastor shifted to pull a parchment and quill from his cloak. The quill hovered over the piece of parchment and earned a raised eyebrow from Petunia. "This will be taking note of the entire interview. I need to make sure you are aware of your rights. Thank you, Severus."

Severus closed the door once dismissed, leaving it open a crack so they would be able to hear from the kitchen if things reached a point of needing intervention from him or Minerva. The next step would be preparing Petunia's son for a similar interview.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to a representative — either magical or muggle. Someone will be able to work with you." He paused to look up from the card he was reading from. "Do you understand the rights I just read to you?"

"Yes," Petunia spoke softly, expression unreadable since she pulled up a well-practiced mask of disinterest.

"Your name and your relationship to the people involved in the event from the weekend." Alastor sighed. Petunia looked at the quill, surprised to see that it was taking down what they said.

"Petunia Dursley," She murmured. "Wife to Vernon Dursley, mother of Dudley Dursley, aunt of Harry James Potter and Iris Leanne Potter."

"Thank you," Alastor tilted his head to the side. "Please explain what led to your being here."

"I'm not exactly sure," Petunia's eyebrows furrowed together. "Or rather — My husband is to blame but I still do not understand why Dudley and I got roped into being here."

"Go on," Alastor raised a brow at her. Petunia gulped then gave a nod, needing a moment to think over the blur of events.

"We had a dinner party. It was supposed to earn Vern a raise and be a big career move. The man that was going to make the drills purchase and his wife were over." She shrugged. "We spent two weeks preparing for them."

"How did your husband feel about that dinner?" Alastor asked. Her compliance was rather surprising to him. They weren't planning to use veritaserum but the option was there if it came down to non-compliance and the question and answer game going nowhere.

"Excited since it would mean a better company car and a raise. He was happy about it until I called saying Iris needed to be taken to the hospital." She looked down at her lap upon admitting that. "Poor dear fell down a flight of stairs and broke her arm."

"How often did you need to take Iris to the hospital?" Alastor queried. He knew not to ask leading questions so taking from what was said was the best option.

"Not very," Petunia shook her head. "This was the first time for her."

"Would you say she and her brother never got hurt or are they accident prone?" Petunia clenched her jaw at the question, looking away from the man that was speaking.

Her gaze settled on her lap since she wasn't sure how to answer. The two were accident-prone but it was never their doing and she couldn't trust herself with admitting that without suppressed emotions coming out.

"A little clumsy I suppose." She sighed after a prolonged moment of silence.

"Elaborate." Alastor deadpanned. Petunia brought her gaze up to him and nodded.

"Harry broke his glasses too many times to count," She shrugged. "Iris is overly cautious."

"How did your husband feel about your niece going to the hospital?" It was a slight subject change that would hopefully shed some light on things at home.

"Not happy," Petunia's expression faltered. "He didn't like taking the Potters to see doctors or to the hospital. I interrupted his interview with Mr. Mason to say we were going. The plan was just me, Dudley, and Vernon for that dinner and he didn't like that Iris was made part of it since he had to apologize for having a family emergency."

"Why didn't he want the Potters at dinner?" Alastor narrowed both eyes at her. They had yet to get to the scene Severus walked in on.

"Harry acts out and Iris copies him," Petunia sniffed. "They aren't good with strangers and bad behaviors come out. He wanted both of them in their room for the evening."

"What happened when they weren't?" The auror glanced down at the quill and parchment to make sure everything was being noted.

"Iris behaved," She murmured. "She joined us for dinner since the Masons knew about her. The boy didn't. He exploded dessert. Got it all over the kitchen, himself and his sister."

"And then?" Alastor tapped his fingers against the desk. Petunia shrugged before responding.

"Vernon told them to clean it up and smoothed things over. Then an owl dropped a letter on Mrs. Mason's head." She paused to scratch the back of her neck. "We lost the deal and Vernon found out the twins can't use magic outside of school."

"What is the family's opinion on magic?" The question earned an alarmed look from Petunia.

"I- I'm sorry?" Petunia stammered, eyes meeting Alastor's properly for the first time that day.

"The family's opinion on magic," Alastor tried not to grimace. "Was it welcome in the home, discouraged, or—" He trailed off when Petunia rapidly shook her head.

"Vernon hoped keeping them away from it would mean it didn't appear," She frowned. "Didn't want them ending up dead like their parents. Their wands were kept locked in a cupboard for the summer."

"Is your son a wizard?" Petunia relaxed a little when Dudley was brought up.

"Thankfully no," She admitted with a sigh. Alastor raised a brow when she shook her head. "Vernon wouldn't have wanted him if he was. He did what he could to make sure Dudley was the normal one."

"What did that mean for the Potter children?" Her expression became more confused at that, features scrunching up while she tried to make sense of it.

"I don't understand," She said and shook her head. Alastor gave a loud sigh before further breaking the question down.

"You used the phrase 'normal' to describe your son. This leaves room to believe 'abnormal' would be how you describe your niece and nephew. Is that assumption correct?" He didn't like where the conversation was going since it earned a nod from Petunia.

"I suppose so," She snapped. "He had expectations for them to behave a certain way and…" Petunia paused and looked up at the ceiling. "Severe consequences if they didn't."

"What were those consequences?" Petunia paled at the question. She would have to be honest about it. The little bit of love she had left for Vernon was shattered by his behavior.

"He started off with missing a meal or two, the occasional raised hand," She shrugged. "Punishing them both since that proved to be more effective than separating them."

"How would you describe his discipline style with the twins?" Alastor implored.

"Strict," Petunia winced. "He expected the best and he made sure they never met that. There was a lot of yelling. He wanted them doing chores, not me or Dudley."

"Can you describe your son's worst injury?" The Auror changed the subject since Petunia seemed tense.

"Skinned knees from learning to ride a bike, the occasional bruise from roughhousing with his friends," She answered and glanced down at her lap. "Typical child stuff."

"And Harry's?" The man spoke softly. Petunia was quiet, needing to think back.

"He got very sick one year. Hallucinations and a high fever that took several days to break," She whispered. "Vernon didn't want to waste money on taking him to the hospital."

"Then Iris?" Alastor's question was met with silence. Petunia looked like a deer in headlights.

"Mrs. Dursley?" He probed after nearly two minutes of nothing being said. Petunia met his gaze and tried to keep control of her emotions.

"He burned her when she was nine," She whispered, voice shaking at the memory. "Stuck her hand on the stove for sneaking food. She hasn't spoken a word to either of us since."

"Did you do anything for that?" Her gaze snapped up at him and she gave a jerky shake of her head.

"He wouldn't let me touch her," Petunia pressed her lips together. It felt as though she was digging herself into a hole she wouldn't be able to get out of. "I told Dudley to stay in the living room and put the television on at full volume. We still heard her screams. I brought them to Mrs. Figg's a few days later and tried getting in touch with Dumbledore."

"Was that the first time you tried contacting Dumbledore?" Alastor raised a brow at that, not having expected the man's name to come up.

"No. I believe it was the fourth time," She shook her head. "I was told to stop exaggerating and the children must remain with me for their own good."

"Why was that?" Alastor asked. Petunia gave a loud sigh.

"I've been asking that question since they appeared on my doorstep," She muttered. "Vernon didn't want the extra mouths to feed and made me write to find a more suitable accommodation for them. His answer never changed."

"Right, we are done here," The Auror announced. "Send in your son." Petunia made a face then didn't say anything, returning to the kitchen instead of grabbing Dudley.

"Can someone sit with Dudley for it?" She remained in the doorway that separated the kitchen from the hallway downstairs.

"No," Minerva shook her head. "Alastor is one of the best investigators we have. I assure you there will be no harm done to your son. We can't risk you in there since it may sway how he answers. He's been nervous enough with me and Poppy around."

Petunia crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at the woman. "That's only because the giant that was sent to take the twins to get their supplies gave him a pigtail as a parting gift."

"Excuse me," Minerva raised an eyebrow at Petunia. "It almost sounded as if you said…"

"Did Harry not tell you we couldn't get it removed?" Petunia scoffed. Not that he would have known since Vernon didn't want the cousins to speak to each other. Dudley's extra caution around the twins during the winter holidays should have been enough to have them assume so.

"The hospital did several tests on it and couldn't find a medical explanation for why the appendage was attached to his tailbone," She continued. "So forgive me if my son seems overly nervous about a one-eyed wizard he's never met before. I would say negligence on the school's part is to blame for it."

Minerva looked taken aback, uncertain of what to say since it was the first time she heard about it. She kept her composure and cocked her head to the side. The slight head tilt was the only hint she gave toward feeling out of her element.

"I-" She cleared her throat. "I can certainly fix that. Assuming he can handle my pointing my wand at him for a moment."

"I suppose we can use it as an incentive for getting the interview over with." Petunia rolled her eyes. As much as she wanted her son back to normal, (not that he would be normal since it was traumatic for him) it would be best not to waste time while the detective was there. Minerva's presence was a constant reminder that she and her son's every move were being closely watched.

Dudley was on his way up to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, his steps pausing when he spotted a previously closed door in the hallway wide open. Upon backtracking, he was alarmed to see a man that hadn't previously been in the house.

"Who are you?" He asked once centered in the doorway, cautiously eyeing the one-eyed man. "And what happened to your eye?"

A chuckle escaped from the stranger. He shrugged in reply then gave another laugh. "Alastor Moody is my name. I'm here to take statements from you and your mother."

"Oh," Dudley wrinkled his nose. "You didn't answer the question about your eye."

"Lost it during the same war that your cousins lost their parents to." Moody shrugged, a brow rising up when Dudley gaped at him.

"Wicked," He gasped then took a step closer to him. "What's that eye do and what's a statement?"

"Allows me to see," Alastor scoffed. "And a statement would be my asking a few questions and you answering. I am required to take notes on it though."

"Huh," Dudley wrinkled his nose. "Is this to do with my cousins?"

"Your mother didn't explain it to you?" Alastor was well aware Petunia hadn't gone to fetch the child.

"She sort of did this morning," He shrugged. "Just that someone wants to talk to me is all."

"Ah," The adult nodded. "Are you comfortable enough to talk now?" He had spotted the empty mug in the blond's hand.

"Can I get water?" Dudley scratched the back of his neck with his free hand. "I can get it from the bathroom if you don't want mum to run into me."

An impressed look flashed over Moody's features and was quickly replaced with a more serious expression.

"That will work," He murmured, realizing the child was fairly clever. The one worry he had was the mother having influenced her son to protect the family when it came to speaking. He could only hope the son proved to be as flexible as the aunt was.

While Dudley was gone, Alastor got the quill and pad of parchment ready. He held the notecard with the child's rights on it and sat up straight when he returned.

"The quill will be taking notes of the conversation," Alastor announced. "I will begin by reading you your rights."

"Okay," Dudley whispered and sat down in the chair across from the man. The door was kept open since Moody didn't want Petunia or Minerva thinking he forced the boy into complying.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. We will be using your statement to build a case for your cousins and your family." Alastor paused to look Dudley over. "Do you understand your rights?"

"Yes," Dudley nodded. "Means I don't need to talk if I don't want to?"

"Precisely," Moody chuckled. "Can I have your name and your relationship to everyone that lives at 4 Privet Drive?"

"Dudley Dursley," Dudley gave another nod. "Vernon and Petunia are my parents. Harry and Iris are my cousins."

"Thank you," Alastor glanced at the quill. It was taking note of everything and didn't appear to be malfunctioning. "Why are you in this house?"

Dudley needed a moment to think over the question. He still didn't know everything that happened but he and his mom being there made it pretty clear it was something to do with his father.

"Because dad threatened to kill the Potters?" He shrugged. "He wasn't happy because they used magic outside of school."

"Is that the first time your father threatened something like that?" Dudley quickly shook his head no.

"Not exactly," His head gave one more shake. "He usually stuck to saying he'd make them wish they were never born."

"Did he ever say that to you?" Alastor asked, earning another rapid head shake from the blond.

"Of course not," Dudley scowled. "Dad loves me. He wouldn't have said anything like that to me."

"What is your relationship with your father like?" Moody countered.

"Fine," The twelve-year-old shrugged. "He buys me whatever I want and lets me do whatever I want."

"What is his relationship with your cousins like?" The question earned a beat of silence from Dudley.

"I don't think he likes them," Dudley whispered, looking at Alastor out of the corner of his eye. "He yelled a lot and hit and kicked them."

"And your mother?" Another beat of silence, this one accompanied by a confused looking child.

"Me and mom or mom and my cousins?" Dudley asked after a moment of confusion.

"Both," Alastor shrugged. He would need information on each so might as well get it over with.

"Mom loves me," Dudley tilted his head. "She tried to keep me from knowing what dad was doing." Try was the keyword there since Dudley has far more vivid memories of his cousins being mistreated than he let on around her.

"I don't know about her and my cousins." Dudley paused. Years spent being encouraged to bully his cousin were switched when his mother seemed to discourage it.

"She used to seem like she didn't like them but this year was different. Well," He paused. "She never fully followed dad and — I think she tried to stop him sometimes."

"And you and your cousins?" Alastor asked once the boy finished talking. Dudley looked away from him and glanced down at his lap.

"Dad let me bully them," He whispered. "If I blame Iris for something I did, dad will punish her."

"How often were your cousins punished?" The Auror enquired.

"I don't think they've ever not been," Dudley laughed nervously. "They missed a lot of school and dad wouldn't let them cry. I think their boarding school is a better place for them."

"Do you know why they are at boarding school?" Alastor countered. He hadn't expected to get too in-depth with the child.

"For doing the m-word. Because their parents were…" He hesitated then barely spoke the word loud enough to be heard. "Wizards." Another pause to take a steadying breath then he continued.

"Mum told them their parents died in a car crash and the —" His shoulders shook a bit since the memory was one he tried to bury. "The man that —- He said they're wizards. I don't know. Dad wouldn't let mum or Harry answer my questions. He doesn't like m-m-m… magic."

"Thank you for sharing that," Alastor could sense the child didn't particularly like the subject. "I have a few questions regarding you and your cousin's health if you are up to answering them."

Dudley took a long sip of water then nodded. He didn't like talking about magic since his father always yelled whenever someone mentioned it. Add in the tail remnants attached to his person and he was proud to have made it through the thought without chickening out.

"How often did you and your cousins go to the doctor?" Alastor combined two of the questions into one for the sake of saving the boy from getting anxious again.

"I don't think Iris and Harry have a doctor or a dentist," Dudley admitted. "Mum would take me every year but… I only remember Harry getting glasses and Iris breaking her arm being things they saw a doctor for."

Being uncertain if the child was done talking left Alastor staring at him a moment.

"It's my fault she broke her arm," He added in a whisper. "Mum doesn't know but I — I tripped her down the stairs. It wasn't on purpose."

"Was that the worst injury she got?" Dudley shook his head, eyes wide since it certainly wasn't.

"Dad burnt her hand when I caught her stealing food," He mumbled. "Mum tried to cover it up with the tele but I… I can still remember her screams."

"What about Harry?" Alastor asked. Dudley wrinkled his nose then shrugged his shoulders.

"Dad's choked him a few times," He shrugged. "He and Iris got locked in their cupboard for almost a month because he set a snake on me."

"Their cupboard?" The question caused Dudley's face to pale.

"Their first letter from the school came addressed to it," He gasped out. "I thought you would have known."

"Clearly not." Moody deadpanned. Dudley winced and chewed at his lips.

"They stayed in a cupboard until they were eleven," He mumbled. "Then they got my extra bedroom."

"The last question being what is the worst injury you've had?" Alastor changed the subject.

"Harry trapped me and Piers in a snake habitat at the zoo," Dudley whispered. "I fell into the water and got a few bruises."

"And the pigtail?" Alastor arched a brow at him. Dudley pushed his chair back and quickly stood up.

"I don't want to talk about it," He gasped out then took off to find his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *coughs* Hi this will be making a comeback but as usual no timeline on how frequent stuff will be since I'm working fulltime in a pandemic.


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